NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Olympics

Five athletes that could become household names at Rio

NZ Herald
2 Aug, 2016 07:04 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Cate and Bronte Campbell of Australia are just two athletes to keep on eye on at Rio 2016. Photo / Getty

Cate and Bronte Campbell of Australia are just two athletes to keep on eye on at Rio 2016. Photo / Getty

We all know which athletes we'll have our eyes on at Rio 2016.

Usain Bolt in the 100m, Eric Murray and Hamish Bond in the rowing, Valerie Adams in the shot put.

They've become household names, not only to us Kiwis, but to others around the globe.

But those athletes started, at some point in their career, down the bottom. On the channels no one watched or the races and events no one cared much about.

Now, there's a number of new athletes coming through the ranks that you just have to watch at Rio.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Some you may already know, others don't even have a Wikipedia page, but their performance at Rio 2016 could thrust them into the memories of all who watch come August.

5. Inika McPherson (USA) - High Jump

Inika McPherson. Photo / Getty
Inika McPherson. Photo / Getty

The story of Inika McPherson is film material.

At just 5'4", she is the only woman of that height to clear 6'6" in the high jump.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She has an incredible background, which includes losing a college scholarship, training with no coach, facilities or money, and spending time in prison. You can read a full profile here.

She's vivacious, she's got personality, and most of all, she's talented.

While others tune in to watch cliche high jumpers like Chaunté Lowe, or the long, thin legged Marie-Laurence Jungfleisch, Inika McPherson will show up covered in tattoos, looking anything but conventional, and sporting one of her three recent hairstyles; the fully shaven, the mohawk or the bright blue ponytail.

She may not win the high jump, but she'll most certainly win hearts.

4. Cate and Bronte Campbell (Australia) - Swimming

Cate and Bronte Campbell. Photo / Getty
Cate and Bronte Campbell. Photo / Getty

We said five athletes, but these two sisters are practically one.

They are set to become Olympic legends by becoming the first siblings to win gold and silver medals in the same swimming event.

Ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world respectively for the 100m freestyle, their chances are likely.

Cate, 24, won gold in London 2012 Olympics and is the current world recorder of the 100m individual freestyle event.

22-year-old Bronte won three golds at the 2015 World Championships and was out swum by her sister at this year's Australian Championships by 0.3 seconds.

3. Boris Berian (USA) - 800m Track

Boris Berian. Photo / Getty
Boris Berian. Photo / Getty

Two years ago, American Boris Berian was a college dropout flipping burgers at a McDonald's in California.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fast forward 14 months and today Berian is the world champion in the 800-meters, winning gold at the World Indoor Championships in March, and is one of the favourites to add another 800m medal in Rio.

2. Simone Biles (USA) - Gymnastics

Simone Biles. Photo / Getty
Simone Biles. Photo / Getty

Being a young gymnast at the Olympics isn't a rarity by any stretch.

However, Simone Biles turns heads with her age considering she's won the most world championship gold medals of any female gymnast in history at the age of just 19.

She is a three-time all-around world champion and four-time U.S. national all-around champion. She has also won the world championship multiple times in floor and beam.

What makes Biles fun to watch is her personality, athleticism, and grace. She's also been working with the same coach, Aimee Boorman, since she was six years old.

1. Katie Ledecky (USA) - Swimming

Katie Ledecky. Photo / Getty
Katie Ledecky. Photo / Getty

Katie Ledecky is the Queen of the Water. She literally never loses.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She is easily one of the most phenomenal female athletes of her generation, dominating her sport even more so than female athletes like Serena Williams.

In a recent Washington Post article, Dave Sheinin asserted that she is "better at swimming than anyone is at anything." That is not an understatement. She is that good.

When Ledecky wins a race, she wins by a lot. And, she's been winning that decisively for years.

Not only that, but she also holds the world record for the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle. The range of distances she can swim at such an elite level is unprecedented.

In Rio, Ledecky could come close to as many as five gold medals, competing in the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle as well as the 4x200m freestyle relay and potentially the 4x100m freestyle relay.

If women competed in the 1500m like men do at the Olympics, she could have gone for six.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Her odds in the 800m freestyle are just 1.02. The next best is Kiwi Lauren Boyle at 15.00. The odds are the exact same in the 400m freestyle and just about the same in the 200m freestyle.

There will be upsets at the Rio 2016 Olympics, but if you want to tune in and see total domination, Ledecky is the one to watch.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Olympics

Olympics

'It was different': Dame Lisa Carrington on end of remarkable 16-year streak

07 Jun 10:00 PM
Premium
Black Ferns

Woodman-Wickliffe on babies, books, broadcasting and King’s Birthday honour

02 Jun 03:00 AM
Olympics

NZ Olympic medallist set for surgery after crash

10 May 04:33 AM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Olympics

'It was different': Dame Lisa Carrington on end of remarkable 16-year streak

'It was different': Dame Lisa Carrington on end of remarkable 16-year streak

07 Jun 10:00 PM

The kayaking great says her break is an 'opportunity to try something different'

Premium
Woodman-Wickliffe on babies, books, broadcasting and King’s Birthday honour

Woodman-Wickliffe on babies, books, broadcasting and King’s Birthday honour

02 Jun 03:00 AM
NZ Olympic medallist set for surgery after crash

NZ Olympic medallist set for surgery after crash

10 May 04:33 AM
Broken ribs, punctured lung: NZ Olympic medallist in hospital after crash

Broken ribs, punctured lung: NZ Olympic medallist in hospital after crash

04 May 09:10 PM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP